Visit to Quebec's North Shore - Day 3

As high as a two-storey building, the 400-tonne trucks must be assembled on site.

In honour of Their Excellencies’ visit, the community of Fermont organized a community gathering.

The concentrator, which was inaugurated in 2013, now allows the company to produce 24 million tons of iron ore concentrate annually.

Their Excellencies had the opportunity to visit the ArcelorMittal Mines Canada Mont-Wright Mining Complex, an open-pit mine which extends over 24 square kilometres. A wholly owned subsidiary of ArcelorMittal, the largest iron and steel producer in the world, ArcelorMittal Mines Canada is one of the main Canadian suppliers of iron ore products on the global steel market, alone producing nearly 40 percent of Canada’s total production.

Her Excellency climbed the 400-tonne truck's 18-step staircase to reach the driver’s cabin.

This disease is a serious, hereditary, neurological disorder that results in the progressive development of significant cognitive problems, mental symptoms and problems with movement. A parent with the disease has a 50 percent chance of transmitting it to his or her child.

The company operates two major open-pit mines, one in Mont-Wright, which is the largest of its kind in North America, and another in Fire Lake.

Mr. Bernard Laflamme, Director General of the Mont-Wright mine, gave an overview of the company's mining activities taking place.

Joined by the Deputy Mayor, His Excellency then visited the wall - a huge self-contained structure with apartments, stores, schools, bars, a hotel, restaurants, a supermarket and swimming pool - which shelters the community of smaller apartment buildings and homes on its leeward side. The structure, which is over one-kilometre long, was designed to be a windscreen to the rest of the town.

Their Excellencies then headed to Fermont where they received a warm welcome by the Deputy Mayor Mr. Marco Ouellet and his spouse Mrs. Diane Bond. Upon their arrival, Their Excellencies signed the guest book.

Their Excellencies the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, and Mrs. Sharon Johnston met with Dr. Sylvain Chouinard (centre), a neurologist at the CHUM Hôpital Notre-Dame, and with members of the Uauitshitum, the ITUM and the Sept-Îles health and social services centres to learn about the research currently being done on the Huntington disease.

On this occasion, His Excellency presented the Governor General’s Caring Canadian Award to four deserving volunteers, as well as the Fire Services Exemplary Service Medal to Claude Meilleur, in recognition of his 20 years of exemplary public security service in Canada.